Democrats Urge GOP to Consider Bipartisan Legislation to Put Americans Back to Work

Democrats Urge GOP to Consider Bipartisan Legislation to Put Americans Back to Work

MESSAGE FROM THE DEMOCRATIC WHIP

This week, I was disappointed that House Republicans once again did not bring a jobs bill to the Floor. While we voted on a bipartisan basis to repeal a Republican policy that would have been a burden on businesses, this policy had not gone into effect yet and therefore will not have any impact on jobs. The policy, enacted by Republicans in 2006, would have required that federal, state, and local governments withhold 3% in taxes from payment to any contractor providing goods or services. It was opposed by businesses, and Democrats had already delayed its implementation twice. Despite Republican claims that this was a jobs bill, it is not the comprehensive jobs plan we need to put more Americans back to work.

As the President said this week, we can’t wait. In order to boost our economy and reduce unemployment, we need to pursue a comprehensive jobs plan. Unfortunately, Republicans have not put one forward and have taken little action to help put more Americans back to work. Democrats, on the other hand, do have a plan. The Make It In America plan aims to create jobs by cultivating an environment for businesses to innovate and make their products here in the U.S. Our plan overlaps with and complements the President’s American Jobs Act, which is fully paid for and based on bipartisan ideas to help small businesses grow, get teachers, first responders and construction workers back to work, rebuild our nation’s roads and bridges, and put more money back in Americans’ pockets.

I hope in the coming weeks Republicans will abandon their partisan agenda that rolls back critical environmental and labor protections and will not create jobs or boost our economy, according to independent economists. It’s time for Republicans to get serious about job creation and I urge them to work with Democrats so that we can create jobs, grow our economy and ensure more families can make it in America.

Sincerely yours,

STENY H. HOYER

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